


Fletchings & Flames

by KucatsHouse



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood-centric, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 07:03:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20720072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KucatsHouse/pseuds/KucatsHouse
Summary: Everyone is born with a tattoo. When you find your soulmate, their tattoo blends with yours. Surrounded by friends and their soulmates, Alec feels alone.





	Fletchings & Flames

**Author's Note:**

> Characters and original story concept the property of Cassandra Clare.
> 
> Just felt like writing a soulmate AU. I have no other reasons. 😅

_Everyone is born with a mark on their arm, a symbol that represents the person they are deep down._

_Everyone has a soulmate, the other half of themselves. This is the one person who makes you feel truly complete and whole._

_When you find your soulmate, when you find the one you were meant to be with and you touch for the first time, their mark appears on your arm. _

_Two marks becoming one; two halves becoming a whole._

_Everyone has a soulmate - everyone. The question is, when do you first meet them?_

*** * * * ***

Truth was, Alec Lightwood was envious. Twenty-three and still waiting for his soulmate. Things such as true love and finding his soulmate never bothered Alec before; he had wanted them, yes, but he had always told himself his time would come when it came and he couldn’t force it. The whole business wouldn’t have bothered him so much except that it seemed as if everyone Alec knew had already found theirs.   
****

It was the first nice Saturday since spring had started and here he was, feeling like a third wheel, while all his friends and their found souls sat around Alec, excitedly discussing future plans. They sat around a large wooden table, all seven of them, nursing cups of black coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, and one iced frozen concoction only Isabelle could dream up. Alec sat back in his chair silently, blue eyes flickering between one person and the next as they spoke, and felt the isolation creep in.

“We thought about stopping in Paris first. You know, to visit the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.”

Alec turned slightly to his left, listening with half an ear as Clary spoke of plans for a European trip after graduation in a couple of months. Next to her was his best friend Jace, looking relaxed as he sat near the window, sunlight reflecting off his golden hair, his arm draped around Clary’s shoulders. Despite the slight chill that still clung in the air, Jace had his shirt sleeves rolled up, nonchalantly showing off to the world the winged sword tattoo on his left forearm, his and Clary’s marks. They had met five years ago in Java Jones, the very same coffee shop they all sat in right then, two sixteen-year-olds getting a coffee after school and bumping into each other after their orders had gotten mixed up.

“You plan to go and see the catacombs too, right?”

Isabelle was across the table from him. Alec’s sister was listening intently to Clary, her chin balanced on her hand. Her snake tattoo wound around her wrist, just barely visible above the cuff of her black sweater. Jace had introduced both Alec and Isabelle to Clary one week after they met, with Clary’s best friend Simon tagging along. They all remembered the moment he and Izzy had shaken hands, the moment the simple arrow tattoo on his wrist had become as intricate as hers. Soulmate tattoos didn’t lie; though Isabelle and Simon were opposites in personality, they complimented each other well. He sat next to her, making notes on his musical score as Simon prepared for a band performance that evening. Isabelle had a hand at the base of Simon’s neck, lightly massaging the skin as he leaned into her touch.

“When you get to Rome, do all the touristy stuff but make some time to walk the streets. The real beauty in Rome is the people.”

Alec and Isabelle had grown up with Aline; even though she lived on the opposite side of the country these days, she always made a point to visit when she was in the city. Today, she brought along Helen, the soulmate she met in Rome three years ago. This was the first time they were all meeting Helen, though they had heard plenty about her. They sat next to each other now on Alec’s right, arms crossed at the elbows in a mimicry of the crossed daggers on their forearms.

All around him were the people he loved, and the ones they loved, happily discussing their shared futures. Alec was happy for them, but he wasn’t _happy_. He was immensely patient, waiting for his own time to come, but that didn’t stave off the feeling of loneliness that sometimes stole over him when in their company. He could smile and nod, respond with well wishes and truly heartfelt words. But inside…sometimes it hurt to feel like the one left behind.

He checked his watch; almost time to start his shift at the store. Alec was glad for it as he could sense the discussion around him shift, as it inevitably did, to the one topic he couldn’t truly understand and didn’t want to be a part of.

“Helen’s little brother found his last week,” Aline said, a bright smile on her face as she squeezed Helen’s hand.

And there it was. Alec shifted uncomfortably in his seat, turning to stare out the glass doors, the welcoming bell tinkling just as a tall, dark haired stranger stepped inside. He tried to tune out the conversation, tried to make himself seem disinterested so as not to feel that isolation again.

Simon looked up, blinking in the sudden brightness and confusion. “I thought your brother already found his,” he said, turning to Helen with an inquisitive stare.

“Oh, Julian?” Helen shook her head, blonde curls bouncing with the moment. “Julian and Emma have been matched since they were kids. Aline means my other brother, Ty. We met Jace’s cousin last week.”

“Wait…” Jace’s head snapped around, his golden eyes boring into Helen. “You mean Kit? It’s Kit?”

Helen nodded, a sheepish smile on her face. “Imagine our surprise when he shows up on our doorstep, pointing excitedly at his arm. We thought it might be Livvy at first, but it was Ty.” The table seemed to erupt at that moment, everyone wanting to know the details - what their marks looked like, what their reactions were, what Helen’s family thought.

Alec’s eyes fell closed as he released a long, slow sigh. He reached beneath his chair and retrieved his bag, slinging it over his shoulder as he stood. “I need to get going,” he announced suddenly, cutting into the conversation. His tone was a little sharper than he intended but Alec didn’t apologize; he wasn’t in a companionable mood any longer. They all gave him a curious look, except Isabelle who smiled in sympathy.

“Have a good shift,” she said with a wave. She watched as Alec returned her wave before heading for the door, bumping shoulders with the stranger he had seen earlier as they both tried to leave at the same time. 

“Is he all right?” Aline asked, her voice quiet.

Isabelle kept watching her brother through the window until he turned a corner and disappeared from sight. “Alec gets uncomfortable when people start talking about soulmates,” she said, turning back to the group. “He’s still waiting.”

“Uncle Arthur still hasn’t met his soulmate yet,” Helen offered kindly. “He doesn’t seem interested in finding his. He’s more absorbed in his studies.” 

“Alec isn’t like that. He’s always wanted to know who his other half is.” Isabelle sighed helplessly, leaning into Simon when he wrapped an arm around her back. “He tries not to let it bother him, but I know it does. Everyone we know has already found theirs. It makes him feel alone, seeing everyone together.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Clary asked, though they all already knew the answer.

“We just have to be supportive,” Isabelle replied with a small smile. “You can’t rush these things. Besides, I know my brother. He’ll be okay, in the end.” For a long while, no one spoke. Ever so slowly the conversation resumed although it was more subdued, the afternoon sun shining on.

* * * * *

Alec woke early the next morning despite his late night return. It had been near midnight when he had gotten home, his shift having ended with closing the family owned bookstore; afterwards, he had stopped at a late night taco stand for something to eat before making his way back home. Alec had fallen asleep almost the moment he arrived, still in his shirt though he had been awake enough to remove his shoes and jeans. Groggily, he made his way to the bathroom, pulling up his sleeves to splash water on his face. Yawning, he reached for a towel and froze, blue eyes going wide as he stared down at his right arm.

Where there once had been a single arrow on his forearm was now an arrow that was surrounded by blue flecks that resembled flames. They started at the point and licked their way in swirls to the fletching, giving the impression of both protecting and comforting the arrow they surrounded. As the flames neared the feathers, the color gradient changed from a cobalt to a pale cyan. There was a playfulness about the way the flames surrounded the arrow; the word ‘effervescence’ came to Alec’s mind as he gazed upon them.

A second part to his tattoo. That could only mean…

“IZZY!” Alec ran out of the bathroom, yelling his sister’s name. He dashed three doors down the hallway and began to knock incessantly on Isabelle’s door. It jerked open on the third knock causing Alec to almost fall forward into the darkened room.

“What?!” Dark eyes, still foggy with sleep, glared at Alec as Isabelle leaned against her door. Her hair was a tangled mess down her back, one strap of her black tank top slipping off her shoulder. She opened her mouth to make a snide remark when she saw Alec’s arm. In a flash Isabelle was gripping Alec’s wrist tightly, her knuckles white. “You finally found them?! When?!”

“I don’t know,” Alec admitted, his tone one of defeat. “I didn’t even see it until now. It had to have happened yesterday, but I don’t know when or where.” Even as he spoke to Isabelle, Alec’s gaze remained fixed on his arm. A torrent of questions kept swirling in his mind. 

Who was it? Where did he meet them? What were they like? How did he miss seeing them?

“Alec, you have to go back.”

He tore his gaze away, looking into Isabelle’s dark eyes. She was smiling, a happy, pleased smile for him. “Go back where?”

“Everywhere!” Isabelle grabbed Alec’s shoulders, shaking him lightly. “You have to retrace your steps. It was yesterday, right? You have to go back and try to remember where you were yesterday.”

“Izzy, I was all over the city yesterday. I met tons of people! And you know how busy the shop gets on Saturdays. It could be literally anybody.”

“Did you touch any one new?”

Alec blinked, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember. “No…I don’t know…maybe?”

“You have to go and find out! Alec, this is your soulmate!” Her hands moved from Alec’s shoulders to his face. Isabelle held her brother’s face tenderly, her gaze full of compassion and warmth. “You have to go and find them. Today.”

“Izzy, I can’t.” Alec wanted nothing more than to do what his sister said, what his heart wanted. But he had responsibilities. He was the eldest, had to be the one to set an example. “I’m supposed to pick up Max after his practice. And the store…”

“I’ll take care of everything today,” Isabelle said, the conviction evident in her voice and on her face. “You’ve been waiting for this for so long. I know how you get when everyone talks about finding the person they were meant to be with. All you’ve ever wanted was to find the other half of your soul. You have to do this, Alec.”

Isabelle was offering him the chance to find the one thing Alec has ever wanted in the world. There was nothing holding him back, and yet there was a deep seated fear he never knew had been present beginning to surface. “What if I don’t…what if I can’t…” A gentle finger to his lips silenced him. Alec lifted his eyes to find Isabelle smiling.

“Don’t think like that. You will find them, Alec. And when you do, you’ll know it’s them.”

“How?”

She placed a hand on his chest, near his heart. “You’re soulmates. You just will.” Turning him around, Isabelle gave her brother a playful push. “Now hurry up and go! Don’t keep them waiting!”

Without any further hesitation, Alec dashed back to his bedroom. He lingered long enough to yank on jeans and a jacket; grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet, he raced for the front door. He barely registered his mother’s voice, calling after Alec and asking where he was going. Isabelle’s voice answered, just beginning to respond before the door slammed shut as Alec left the house. 

Alec’s mind was racing as he ran for the nearest station, memories of the previous day flooding back to him. So many places, so many people, he didn’t know where to begin. He would just have to do what Isabelle suggested and retrace his steps. That meant starting with the pool and working his way forwards. A grim smile spread across Alec’s face as he waited impatiently for the train to arrive. But there was hope in his heart.

Today. Today he would finally find out.

* * * * *

He had been searching all day. Isabelle had texted him frequently, providing words of encouragement and telling him to keep going. But so far Alec was coming up empty handed and he was losing hope.

The pool he swam at in the mornings had been a bust. Maia and Bat had been at there, but neither could remember anyone new approaching them yesterday morning. Alec had stopped by the art studio where he had met Clary and Jace for lunch, but there didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary there. The music studio where he had dropped off Max, the bodega they had stopped in before, the memo he had deliver for his father to a client - they all turned up as dead ends in Alec’s search. He had already ruled out the bookstore and his late night taco stop; he had spent most of yesterday shelving books, and there was no one else but the cook last night.

The afternoon was wearing on, and there was only one place left. But Alec’s courage was waning and he didn’t think Java Joe’s was going to be a successful stop. Still, he couldn’t stop hearing Isabelle’s voice telling him to keep trying.

Feeling dejected but still somewhat determined, Alec pushed up his sleeve as he walked. His gaze racked over the tattoo for the seventh time that day. Isabelle said he would know who his soulmate was. He remembered her telling him afterwards that it wasn’t the sudden appearance of Simon’s mark that told Isabelle he was the one. Before she even saw the change in her mark, she had felt it, a warmth in her chest the moment their hands and eyes met. She had said it was as if her entire life she had only been half of herself and had only realized it when Simon walked into her world. 

Alec couldn’t make sense of what Isabelle had said then, and he still couldn’t. He hadn’t felt anything when he and this stranger had touched, hadn’t even realized things had changed until he saw his arm that morning. But Alec trusted his sister; if she said he would know, then he would. His greatest worry, at the moment, was if he would ever have the chance. 

Java Jones was close, only a block away. With a sigh of resignation, Alec ran a hand through his hair, musing the dark strands as he turned the street corner…and stopped, eyes going wide. The crowd around him parted in his wake, continuing on as they ignored Alec. He paid them no mind, his attention fixed on a single individual who seemed to stand alone amidst the crowd. His footsteps faltered as he came to a standstill, blue eyes taking in the other man’s appearance.

He was tall, taller even then Alec, dressed plainly in close fitting dark jeans and an ivory sweater. His right sleeve was pushed up past the elbow, the skin of his arm a rich bronze in the sunlight. Dark hair fluttered in the light spring breeze, styled away from his face but curling around green eyes flecked with gold. He was handsome with high cheekbones, the curve of his nose and chin suggesting a southeast Asian heritage. There was a slight frown to his lips as he looked at his forearm, seemingly lost in thought.

Alec remembered him, the tall stranger who walked into the coffee shop yesterday, the one who had bumped into him when they left. The need to stand next to him, the desire to touch his hand was pulling at him. Every fiber in Alec’s body screamed _this one!_ to him.

Isabelle had been right.

Alec took a step forward, his shoes scuffing on the pavement. It was a subtle sound, lost amongst the people passing him. And yet, the other man’s head lifted, turning instantly in Alec’s direction. The green eyes darted between Alec’s face and his arm, widening with sudden recognition. The man took a step towards him just as Alec walked closer. They met halfway, ignoring everyone around them.

“It’s you,” he said. Alec had to suppress a sigh upon hearing him speak for the first time, his voice like a storyteller’s, rich and soothing. “I saw you yesterday with your friends, at the coffee house. I noticed you first; I couldn’t help it. You looked so…” His hand came up, hovering just a fingers breadth from Alec’s cheek. Green eyes softened as he looked into Alec’s face. “You looked so lonely amongst them. So many friends, so many smiles, yet you looked so lost and sad.”

Out of the corner of his eye Alec could see it, the other tattoo exactly like his on the bronze skin. A sudden feeling of wholeness overtook him then; in that exact moment, Alec felt everything fall into place. For the first time, everything was exactly _right_.

“Not anymore,” he said softly. Alec tilted his head slightly, feeling the warm palm cup around his cheek. He closed his eyes, wanting to remember this exact moment. When he opened them again, he found a bright smile awaiting him. Alec returned the smile with one as equally brilliant. “I’m not alone anymore.”

“Neither am I. I’ve been waiting for you…”

“Alec.”

Dark eyebrows knit together in thought. “Short for Alexander?”

“Everyone just calls me Alec.”

The smile turned mischievous, the slight change sending a tingling down Alec’s spine. “I’m not just anyone, am I?” 

A small huff of laughter escaped Alec as he shook his head. “I suppose not.” This time Alec did sigh as a thumb gently stroked his cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Alexander. I’m Magnus.”

Magnus…he turned the name over in his head. An unusual name, but Alec felt it suited him. “Hello Magnus,” he said. The green eyes glimmered as they fixed on him. Alec had seen that look before, in Jace’s eyes, in Simon’s and Aline’s. It was a soul searching look, one that could see deep inside of him, see all of his hidden facets. Alec felt his heart skip as he became the focus of that gaze, something he had been wanting.

Magnus’ hand slipped down his arm, fingers lingering over the skin of his wrist before grasping Alec’s hand. Their fingers intertwined as he tugged Alec along beside him. “Let me buy you a coffee, Alexander,” Magnus said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, we do,” Alec replied, his heart feeling light as he followed Magnus. 

Magnus wasn’t the type of person Alec had dreamed of - he was better. They didn’t know each other well - they didn’t know each other at all - but there was time enough to learn. The wait to find his soulmate had been a long one, but it had been worth it. Now, Alec had no regrets.


End file.
